The Ascension of the Lord closes the redemptive cycle that began with the Incarnation of the Word. Jesus ascends to heaven having redeemed human nature from sin and death, thereby elevating it, in Him, to a new condition.
The story of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1, 1-11) contains the promise of the arrival of the Holy Spirit: “In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit,” says Saint Luke, repeating the words of Jesus, remembering the moment of farewell. For their part, the apostles appear disoriented once again: “Lord, are you now going to reestablish the sovereignty of Israel?”; to which Jesus kindly responds by reminding them that it is not up to them to know “neither the time nor the hour” that the Father has ordained for this. Rather, he reminds them that the Holy Spirit “will fill you with strength and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem…and to the ends of the earth.” Having said this, he ascended to heaven, and the disciples, stupefied, followed him with their gaze, contemplating how the figure of the Master was disappearing among the clouds. (How to close our eyes before the obvious glory! How to stop looking towards where the promises end because everything has been fulfilled!).
Suddenly, two “men in white” – some angels – burst into the middle of the ecstasy and make the witnesses of the portent turn their eyes “down”, to the earth, towards the reality that they will have to face from that moment on: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; He who refuses to believe will be condemned” (Mk 16, 15), says today’s Gospel reading.